Electrically operated coin box lock

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an electrically actuated coin box locking device for vending machines and the like. The electrically actuated locking device comprises a solenoid having a spring loaded plunger which is positioned to engage a staple coupled to the machine. When the plunger engages the staple the coin box cannot be removed from the machine. The solenoid is actuated by an appropriate signal having a particular characteristic.

llnited States Patent [19] Cohen Mar. 5, 11974 ELECTRICALLY OPERATEDCOIN BOX LOCK [76] Inventor: David J. Cohen, 9614 N. Crawford Ave.,Skokie, lll. 60646 22 Filed: Oct. 18, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 190,078

[52] U.S. Cl 292/144, 232/15, 70/282 [51] Int. Cl. 1305c 1/08 [58] Fieldof Search... 70/85, 86, 87, 276, 278, 282;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,877,637 3/1959 Greenwald70/86 1,768,021 6/1930 Baverband 70/282 2,499,727 3/1950 Craig 292/144 X1,000,268 8/1911 Jadronja 312/333 3,344,629 10/1967 Burney 1. 70/2823,625,033 12/1971 Sulieta 70/278 Primary Examiner-Richard E. MooreAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Irving Faber [5 7 ABSTRACT This inventionrelates to an electrically actuated coin box locking device for vendingmachines and the like.

' The electrically actuated locking device comprises a solenoid having aspring loaded plunger which is positioned to engage a staple coupled tothe machine. When the plunger engages the staple the coin box cannot beremoved from the machine. The solenoid is actuated by an appropriatesignal having a particular characteristic.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEB MAR 5 I974 ll IELECTRICALLYOPERATED COIN BOX LOCK BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates toan improved coin box locking apparatus for vending machines and thelike, and in particular to an electrically actuated locking apparatus.

Millions of dollars are lost each year by vending machine companies as aresult of coins being pilfered from coin boxes positioned in vendingmachines. Generally, the coin boxes are not locked in place making itconvenient for anyone having access to the interior of such machines toremove a handful or two of coins therefrom. There are some coin boxesthat use either surface or flush mounted locks. However, these locksrequire master keys which are easily lost and/or duplicated therebymaking such locking device virtually ineffective.

Today, because of the unions, it is not always possible to have the sameman fill the vending machine and collect the proceeds from the coin box.The more people having access to the machines, the greater theprobability of pilferage from the coin boxes and the less chance fordetecting who is causing the loss. Further, to complicate the problem,personnel of the business where the machines are installed might haveaccess to the interior of the machine.

Today, to the best of my knowledge, there are no electric lockingdevices for coin boxes in vending machines. The majority of existingcoin box locking devices are key controlled; therefore, by its verynature accessible to many persons.

It is very desirable both from a security and profit standpoint toprovide a coin box locking device that is accessible to only one personand not to everyone having access to the interior of the vendingmachine.

The existing coin box locking devices do not provide a fool proof systemfor inhibiting pilferage from the coin boxes, in that keys are easilyduplicated.

It is desirable to provide an electrically operated coin box lockingdevice that does not rely upon keys.

The present invention not only provides for an electrically operatedcoin box locking device but provides for a locking device that can beoperated by special electronic control circuits. These control circuitsare responsive to a selective series of electrical signals. Theelectrical signals are transmitted by appropriate means; one of suchmeans being an encoded data card that is inserted into an associatedcard reader by a person authorized to have access to the vendingmachine.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention incorporates an electricallyactuated locking device for vending machine coin boxes. The particularelectrical signal required to actuate the locking device can begenerated by a special signal source, which is only possessed byauthorized personnel. If additional security is required. the signalsource can be actuated by introducing thereto a series of electricalsignals that correspond to a predetermined digital card.

A further advantage in using a combination of digitally encodedelectrical signals is that the combination does not even have to beknown by the authorized coin collector if he carries an encoded datacard with him, the card having the required combination placed therein.The card transmits the digital combination to an associated card reader,which, in turn transmits the required series of electrical signals tothe locking device actuating circuits. If the card has the correct codetherein, the series of signals derived therefrom enable the actuatingcircuits to energize the locking device and the mechanical lockingmechanism holding the coin box in place will be released. Each vendingmachine route has a different combination and therefore requires use ofa different encoded data card.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an electricallyactuated locking mechanism for vending machine coin boxes.

It is a further object of this invention to eliminate the use of keylocks for vending machine coin boxes.

It is a further object of the invention to eliminate the use of anyexposed locking means for vending machine coin boxes.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a positivelocking device which is electrically actuated by means of a specifiedelectrical signal or signals, possessing a preselected characteristic.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide an electricallyactuated positive locking device for vending machines that is adaptableto existing vending machines.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the coin box positionedin a vending machine. 7

FIG. 2 is a top sectional cut-away cross-section of a coin box.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the electromechanical locking assemblyembodied by this invention.

FIG. 4 is an electrical circuit diagram for an amplifier.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates, in perspective,a coin box of a vending machine ll2 having a wall 14. The relationshipbetween the coin box It) and the vending machine 12 is for illustrativepurposes only and will vary between each type of vending machine. Thelocking assembly hereinafter described is adaptable to any type of coinbox 110 in any type of vending machine 112.

FIG. 2 is a top sectional cut-away cross-section of FIG. ll of the coinbox 10 adjacent the wall 14-, of the vending machine 112.

A plate 16 is affixed to the wall 14% of the vending machine 12 oppositea surface of the coin box It) by means well known in the art: one ofsuch means being screws 17, and anothersuch means being welding. Astaple 18 is coupled to the plate l6 and wall 14 by means well known inthe art.

An exterior surface 19 of the coin box W is positioned in an abuttingrelationship with and opposite the plate 16.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an eIectro-mechanical locking assembly20. The electromechanical locking assembly 20 is mounted within acontainer 22, and the top of the container being shown removed forillustrative purposes only. The container 22 is coupled to the coin boxby means well known in the art.

A preferred embodiment of the locking assembly 20 is comprised of a pairof signal wires 23 coupled to an amplifier 24; the amplifier beinglocated in the container 22. A solenoid coil 26 is electrically coupleddirectly to the amplifier 24 for receiving electrical actuating signalstherefrom. The solenoid coil 26 operates a plunger 28 which ismagnetically coupled directly thereto and responsive to electricalsignals from the amplifier 24. The plunger 28 may be set to be in aretracted or extended position upon the respective presence or lack ofan electrical actuating signal from the amplifier 24.

In the preferred embodiment, a spring 29, enables the plunger 28 toremain in an extended position until an application of an actuatingsignal from the amplifier 24. When this signal is transmitted to thesolenoid 26, the plunger 28 is retracted against the spring.

A slot 30 is positioned in the coin box to enable the staple 18 to beinserted therethrough. The container 22 for the locking assembly ispositioned within and coupled to a wall of the coin box to enable theplunger 28 of the solenoid coil 26 to be inserted through the staple 18,thereby inhibiting access to the coin box 10 until the plunger 28 of thesolenoid coil 26 is retracted by a remote control signal transmitted tothe amplifier 24 by means of wires 23.

To prevent unauthorized excitation of the solenoid coil 26, it iselectrically coupled to the amplifier 24 which is coupled to themounting case 22. The amplifier 24 is responsive only to a particularsignal possessing a preselected characteristic. FIG. 4 illustrates thecircuit for such amplifier. The amplifier 24 is comprised of a thyristor(SCR) 31, which is an electronic amplifier switching means having acontrol gate 31a, an anode 31b and cathode 310; a transformer 32 havinga primary winding 32a, a secondary winding 32b; and, a capacitor 34 inseries with the transformer primary 32a. The primary winding 32areceives its signal via the pair of wires 23. The solenoid coil 26 isconnected to the anode 31b of the thyristor 31. The secondary winding32b, of the transformer 32 is coupled to the control gate 31a and thecathode 31: of the thyristor 31.

The value of the capacitor 34 is such that only audiofrequency signalson the wires 23 will be coupled to the primary winding 32a to thesecondary winding 32!) of the transformer 32. When the audio signal iscoupled through the transformer 32. the thyristor control gate 310 isforward biased resulting in a current passing from one output line of apower supply 36 through the solenoid coil, thyristor anode 31b and thenreturning to the other output line of power supply 36.

An appropriate audio-frequency signal across the lines 23 will thereforeenable the solenoid coil 26 to become energized retracting the plunger28. Any attempt to either open or short circuit any of the lines to thelocking assembly or to apply a DC or 6OHZ AC signal across lines 23 willnot result in the solenoid being energized in that the gate 31a of thethyristor 3] will not receive sufficient forward bias from the secondarywinding 32]).

The proper audio-frequency signal can be impressed upon lines 23 byseveral means. One of such means is from a signal generator (not shown).For additional security, this signal generator can be controlled byvarious devices. A device for controlling the signal generator may be anencoded switch not shown, which closes only when a correct combinationof associated pushbuttons are depressed. Another device for controllingthe signal generator is by means of an encoded card and its associatedreader; when the reader receives the properly encoded card it willenable the generator to transmit the audio-frequency signal to thetransformer 32 via lines 23.

It should be noted that the amplifier could be deleted without affectingthe operation of the locking apparatus. In this case the signal lines 23are coupled directly to the solenoid coil 26; the solenoid beingresponsive to the proper electrical stimulation.

In operation the coin box 10 is locked into the vending machine when theplunger 28 of the solenoid 26 passes through the staple 18. The staple18 being inserted into the coin box via slot 30. The slot 30 and theelectro-mechanical assembly 20 are positioned relative one another onthe coin box 10 to enable the plunger 28 to either engage or passthrough the staple 18, locking the coin box in position.

The coin box 10 is readily removed and inserted into machine 12 byproviding a proper electrical signal to the solenoid coil 26 whichenables the plunger 28 to be retracted from the staple 18. As statedaforesaid a proper electrical signal could be supplied by means of anencoded data card, not shown, which is inserted into an associatedreader. If the code was correct, the electrical signal to retract theplunger 28 would be transmitted to the solenoid 26.

It is believed that the invention has been described in such detail asto enable those skilled in the art to understand the same, and it willbe appreciated that variations or modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is desired to be secured by letters patent in the United States:

1. An electrically actuated coin box locking device for locking a coinbox in a vending machine, said locking device comprising:

a solenoid coil positioned in the coin box;

a plunger slidably coupled to the solenoid and positioned to extendtherefrom and retract thereto;

a staple coupled to the machine adjacent the coin box and positioned toenable the plunger to pass therethrough;

means for actuating the solenoid enabling the plunger to retract theretoand extend therefrom; and

an amplifier coupled between the solenoid and the means for actuatingthe solenoid, said amplifier being responsive only to a particularsignal possessing a preselected characteristic.

2. An electrically actuated coin box locking device as defined in claim1 whenever said amplifier comprises: switch means having at its input acontrol electrode and at its output two electrodes;

a power supply coupled to the solenoid and the switch means;

wherein the means for actuating the solenoid is coupled to the controlelectrode causing conduction between the output electrodes, enablingpower to flow from the power supply to the solenoid.

3. An electrically actuated coin box locking device as defined in claim2 wherein said amplifier further comprises:

a capacitor coupled between the control electrode of the switch meansand the means for actuating the solenoid, said capacitor having a valueto enable the means for actuating the solenoid to pass therethrough.

4. An electrically actuated coin box locking device as defined in claim3 wherein said amplifier further comprising:

defined in claim 4, said device further comprising:

a spring positioned between the solenoid and the plunger enabling theplunger to remain in an extended position until retracted by the meansfor actuating the solenoid.

. l5 .6. An electrically actuated coin box locking device as defined inclaim 4 wherein said coin box has an aperture positioned thereon toenable the staple to pass therethrough, thereby enabling the coin box tobe locked to the machine when the plunger is in the extended position.

7. An electrically actuated coin box locking device as defined in claim6 wherein said means for actuating the solenoid coil comprises:

an audio-frequency signal. 8. An electrically actuated coin box lockingdevice as defined in claim 7 wherein said switch means is a thyristor.

9. An electrically actuated coin box locking device for locking a coinbox in a vending machine, said locking device comprising:

a solenoid coil positioned in the coin box, said coin box having anaperture thereon:

a staple coupled to the machine adjacent the aperture of the coin boxand suitable for passing therethrough; i

a plunger slidably coupled to the solenoid and positioned to extendtherefrom and retract thereto;

means for actuating the solenoid; and

an amplifier coupled between the solenoid and the means for actuatingthe solenoid, said amplifier being responsive to a preselected signal;and wherein the plunger is extended through the staple locking the coinbox to the machine, in the absence of said signal.

10. An electrically actuated coin box locking device for locking a coinbox in a vending machine, said locking device comprising:

a solenoid coil positioned in the coin box having a pair of wiresextending therefrom;

a plunger slidably coupled to the solenoid and positioned to extendtherefrom and retract thereto;

a staple coupled to the machine adjacent the coin box and positioned toenable the plunger to pass therethrough;

a remote source of excitation for actuating the solenoid, wherein saidwires of said solenoid extend from the coin box and are connected to theremote source of excitation, and

an amplifier coupled between the solenoid and the remote source ofexcitation for actuating the solenoid, said amplifier being responsiveto a preselected signal.

1. An electrically actuated coin box locking device for locking a coinbox in a vending machine, said locking device comprising: a solenoidcoil positioned in the coin box; a plunger slidably coupled to thesolenoid and positioned to extend therefrom and retract thereto; astaple coupled to the machine adjacent the coin box and positioned toenable the plunger to pass therethrough; means for actuating thesolenoid enabling the plunger to retract thereto and extend therefrom;and an amplifier coupled between the solenoid and the means foractuating the solenoid, said amplifier being responsive only to aparticular signal possessing a preselected characteristic.
 2. Anelectrically actuated coin box locking device as defined in claim 1whenever said amplifier comprises: switch means having at its input acontrol electrode and at its output two electrodes; a power supplycoupled to the solenoid and the switch means; wherein the means foractuating the solenoid is coupled to the control electrode causingconduction between the output electrodes, enabling power to flow fromthe power supply to the solenoid.
 3. An electrically actuated coin boxlocking device as defined in claim 2 wherein said amplifier furthercomprises: a capacitor coupled between the control electrode of theswitch means and the means for actuating the solenoid, said capacitorhaving a value to enable the means for actuating the solenoid to passtherethrough.
 4. An electrically actuated coin box locking device asdefined in claim 3 wherein said amplifier further comprising: Atransformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, whereinthe secondary winding of the transformer is coupled to the controlelectrode of the switch means and the means for actuating the solenoidis coupled to the primary winding of the transformer.
 5. An electricallyactuated coin box locking device as defined in claim 4, said devicefurther comprising: a spring positioned between the solenoid and theplunger enabling the plunger to remain in an extended position untilretracted by the means for actuating the solenoid.
 6. An electricallyactuated coin box locking device as defined in claim 4 wherein said coinbox has an aperture positioned thereon to enable the staple to passtherethrough, thereby enabling the coin box to be locked to the machinewhen the plunger is in the extended position.
 7. An electricallyactuated coin box locking device as defined in claim 6 wherein saidmeans for actuating the solenoid coil comprises: an audio-frequencysignal.
 8. An electrically actuated coin box locking device as definedin claim 7 wherein said switch means is a thyristor.
 9. An electricallyactuated coin box locking device for locking a coin box in a vendingmachine, said locking device comprising: a solenoid coil positioned inthe coin box, said coin box having an aperture thereon: a staple coupledto the machine adjacent the aperture of the coin box and suitable forpassing therethrough; a plunger slidably coupled to the solenoid andpositioned to extend therefrom and retract thereto; means for actuatingthe solenoid; and an amplifier coupled between the solenoid and themeans for actuating the solenoid, said amplifier being responsive to apreselected signal; and wherein the plunger is extended through thestaple locking the coin box to the machine, in the absence of saidsignal.
 10. An electrically actuated coin box locking device for lockinga coin box in a vending machine, said locking device comprising: asolenoid coil positioned in the coin box having a pair of wiresextending therefrom; a plunger slidably coupled to the solenoid andpositioned to extend therefrom and retract thereto; a staple coupled tothe machine adjacent the coin box and positioned to enable the plungerto pass therethrough; a remote source of excitation for actuating thesolenoid, wherein said wires of said solenoid extend from the coin boxand are connected to the remote source of excitation, and an amplifiercoupled between the solenoid and the remote source of excitation foractuating the solenoid, said amplifier being responsive to a preselectedsignal.